There was a time when Alex Rodriguez’s rookie playing cards had been thought-about must-haves for any assortment.
He was a generational expertise who helped redefine the shortstop place.
And on the top of his prime, he lit up the stat sheets.
However then, the connections with PEDs surfaced…
As soon as considered a no brainer future Corridor of Famer, his legacy took a pointy flip to the draw back.
As his fame got here into query, the cardboard market reacted because it needed to a number of different gamers who encountered related fates.
And whereas his rookie playing cards could now not be as fascinating, that does not imply they have been utterly tossed to the aspect.
The truth is, the values of a few of his playing cards would possibly shock you.
And on this information, we’ll take an in depth take a look at all of them.
Let’s leap proper in!
1994 Collector’s Selection #647 Alex Rodriguez Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Worth: $40
Since breaking into the sports activities card market with its landmark set in 1989, Higher Deck constructed a fame for high-quality playing cards.
That technique rapidly helped set them aside in an ultra-competitive market.
However in 1994, they regarded to broaden their presence much more by breaking into the “funds” phase of the passion.
Their reply was the 1994 Collector’s Selection set.
The standard wasn’t as excessive because the Higher Deck flagship set, permitting them to current a lower-priced choice and attain extra collectors.
However that did not imply there weren’t some big-time playing cards within the 670-card guidelines.
Two stand out: the Michael Jordan and Alex Rodriguez rookie playing cards.
Utilizing a horizontal format, Higher Deck featured a younger A-Rod in its “Future Basis” subset close to the top of Sequence 2.
The bottom model of his rookie card will not increase too many eyebrows nowadays at roughly $40 in a PSA 10 holder.
However there are “Silver Signature” and “Gold Signature” parallels (not thought-about rookies) that Rodriguez autographed, which may fetch monumental costs.
Normally, you will notice the silver model at round $500 if graded as a PSA 10, whereas the gold model can go for $2,000 in the identical grade.
All three are proven right here for reference however, once more, solely the bottom model is taken into account a rookie given the opposite two are inserts.
1994 Aptitude #340 Alex Rodriguez Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Worth: $50
In 1993, Fleer debuted its “Aptitude” model as its approach of competing with Topps’ “Best” and Higher Deck’s “SP” manufacturers within the super-premium market.
Printed on thick inventory, the playing cards featured lovely full-color images enhanced by a number of layers of shiny coating on either side.
Given the market’s optimistic reception, Fleer continued with the model in 1994.
The 1994 Aptitude design wasn’t all that totally different.
The foil stamping, twin imagery, shiny end and thick inventory had been all again for the sophomore launch.
Nonetheless, one enormous distinction was within the rookie class.
1993 Aptitude did not include any big-name rookies however 1994 Aptitude did: Chan Ho Park and Alex Rodriguez.
Over time, Alex Rodriguez turned one of many largest names in baseball and his rookie card simply stood as the important thing to the set.
And it nonetheless does to at the present time, although its value has declined.
Through the “Covid Bubble,” this card would normally promote for nicely over $100 in a PSA 10 holder, often touching the $200 mark as nicely.
Extra not too long ago, it settled in at round $40, which is flat in comparison with the place it usually offered way back to 2010.
1994 Fleer Replace #U86 Alex Rodriguez Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Worth: $40
When Donruss and Fleer lastly obtained authorized clearance to enter the sports activities card market in 1981, each instantly got down to unseat the king of the market: Topps.
Neither ever succeeded, however they tried every thing to face out or, a minimum of, hold tempo.
Enter the Fleer Replace set in 1984.
Starting in 1974, Topps started together with “Traded” playing cards in its set to point whether or not a given participant was on the transfer to a different workforce.
However in 1981, they first launched their “Traded” set as a standalone product.
Collectors may now discover playing cards of gamers who had been traded or known as as much as the Majors throughout a given season.
It took just a few years, however Fleer finally answered with the 1984 Fleer Replace set.
All through the 80s, a number of big-name rookies like Kirby Puckett, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and Will Clark made their debuts in Fleer Replace merchandise.
And 1994 Fleer Replace launched one other big-name rookie: Alex Rodriguez.
The cardboard makes use of a horizontal design, showcasing a younger Rodriguez admiring what may need been a house run that he simply hit.
It could be a easy card.
Nevertheless it’s simply the important thing to the 200-card guidelines.
1994 SP #15 Alex Rodriguez Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Worth: $11,000
If you happen to’re available in the market for an Alex Rodriguez rookie card, that is the one you need.
However they’re removed from low cost.
Just like the notorious 1993 SP Derek Jeter rookie card, this card is extraordinarily situation senstive.
Of the over 18,000 and counting examples PSA has graded, simply 60 have obtained the elusive PSA 10 grade.
Although the SP model was Higher Deck’s approach of pushing into the super-premium market, it got here with some draw back.
Chipping and scratching on the all-foil card fronts are fairly frequent.
So, discovering a PSA 10 Gem Mint instance or perhaps a PSA 9 Mint instance could be tough.
And the pricing displays that.
Rodriguez’s rookie is well essentially the most fascinating of the 200 playing cards within the SP set, although the Billy Wagner rookie card has picked up momentum since his Corridor of Fame induction.
There’s additionally a die-cut parallel that’s highly-coveted.
It is not thought-about a real rookie card, however the pricing can get much more unimaginable.
PSA 10 examples of the die-cut parallel have offered anyplace from round $15,00 to as excessive as slightly below $120,000 throughout the 2021 market growth.
1994 Sportflics 2000 Rookie/Traded #148 Alex Rodriguez Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Worth: $50
Through the passion growth of the late 80s and early 90s, generally often known as the “Junk Wax Period,” card producers got here up with all types of concepts to assist stand out from the gang.
Often, you’d see lenticular playing cards pop up in several merchandise.
The expertise allowed a card to point out “motion” by way of totally different pictures showing every time the viewing angle shifted.
One in every of my fondest reminiscences of playing cards with lenticular designs had been Rating’s “Magic Movement” trivia playing cards inserted into packs of baseball and soccer playing cards.
Whereas they had been virtually a gimmick for some main manufacturers, Sportflics constructed their whole fame on lenticular design with the discharge of their first set in 1986.
Sportflics continued releasing units by way of 1990.
However in 1994, the model reintroduced itself with the 1994 Sportflics Rookie/Traded baseball set.
And essentially the most fascinating card within the 150-card guidelines is the Alex Rodriguez rookie, which exhibits him turning a double play.
There’s additionally an “Artist’s Proof” parallel of the cardboard that seems to be about ten occasions as uncommon and has routinely offered for a number of hundred {dollars} in PSA 10 situation.
The parallel is well distinguished by the “Artist’s Proof” brand within the decrease left nook.
1994 Higher Deck #24 Alex Rodriguez Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Worth: $125
Alongside together with his Aptitude rookie, the 1994 Higher Deck A-Rod rookie is arguably his most widely known.
By 1994, the model had a agency foothold within the passion.
And collectors had been at all times looking out for any Higher Deck product.
With a number of hundred examples circulating in PSA 10 holders, it isn’t tough to search out in excessive grade.
By comparability, lower than 40 of the “Electrical Diamond” parallel have achieved PSA 10 standing.
These are simply famous by an “Electrical Diamond” reflective stamping alongside the underside and may go for $500 or extra.
Apparently, Higher Deck initially supposed for the design of this set for use within the firm’s SP launch.
Simply by taking a look at A-Rod’s rookie card, you possibly can inform that the feel and appear have a little bit of an elevated or premium aura to it.
However, after some shuffling about, Higher Deck shifted plans for SP and used the design for its flagship launch as an alternative.
Nonetheless, not like the opposite playing cards on this checklist, Rodriguez’s rookie is not the king of the set.
There was one other, greater title within the “Star Rookies” subset: Michael Jordan.
As Jordan retired from the NBA and set his sights on an MLB profession within the White Sox system, Higher Deck took full benefit of the chance.
The Alex Rodriguez Rookie Card Evaluation
Now that we have gone by way of the checklist, listed here are a few of my ideas on Alex Rodriguez’s rookie playing cards:
Most Priceless: A-Rod’s most precious rookie card is his 1994 SP, which could be value over $11,000 in PSA 10 situation.
Least Priceless: Each the 1994 Collector’s Chocie and Fleer Replace rookie playing cards are usually thought-about his least beneficial. Every can convey round $40 in a PSA 10 holder.
My Favourite: I want to say his SP launch can be my favourite, for apparent causes. Nonetheless, if going purely by the design, I’ve at all times thought his 1994 Aptitude rookie was the best-looking.
My Least Favourite: I am not an enormous fan of the 1994 Collector’s Selection rookie. I perceive Higher Deck’s technique by releasing the funds model however, it by no means felt just like the model really landed within the passion.
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